KABUL, Jul 25 (NNN-ANA) – A total of 272 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were sent back to their home provinces, from the capital, Kabul yesterday, Deputy Minister for Refugees and Repatriation Affairs, Arsala Kharoti of the Afghan caretaker government, said.
With the help provided under a coordinated programme, by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office, and the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation Affairs, the IDPs were sent back to their homes in Ghazni, Bamyan, Daikundi and Wardak provinces.
Each family was offered up to 200 U.S. dollars by the UNHCR, for returning to their homes, according to the deputy minister.
“We are happy to return to our province, as we see good security countrywide,” Siddiqe, head of a five-member family from central Daikundi province, said.
Siddiqe left his hometown a few years ago, to avoid conflicts there and had lived in a rental house for one year in Kabul. He said, he is going home and resume working in agriculture and animal husbandry.
Mohammad Nasim, the breadwinner of a seven-member family, left his hometown two years ago. “In the past, it was war and insecurity in our province Ghazni. This was why we moved to Kabul, but here, we faced harsh economic problems,” he said.
According to officials with the ministry for refugees and repatriation affairs, those returning to their homes would get help from local aid agencies.
Up to 6,000 displaced families, residing in Kabul, have been reportedly sent back to their home provinces, in recent months.– NNN-ANA
